Chinese New
Year also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival is the
most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It consists of a
period of celebrations, starting on New Year’s Day, celebrated on the
first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar

The New Zealand Mint is proud to announce our coin issues celebrating
the Lunar New Year. This proof-like coin provides a very cute and
friendly rat to represent the Year of the Rat.

Year of the Rat

Being the first sign of the Chinese zodiac, rats are leaders, pioneers
and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical
and hardworking. Rat people are endowed with great leadership skills
and are perhaps the most organized and systematic of the twelve signs.
Intelligent and cunning at the same time, rats are highly ambitious and
strong-willed people who are keen and unapologetic promoters of their
own agendas, which often include money and power. They are energetic
and versatile and can usually find their way around obstacles, and
adapt to various environments easily. A rat’s natural charm and sharp
demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone, but rats are
usually highly exclusive and selective when choosing friends and so
often have only a few very close friends whom they trust.

Behind
the smiles and charm, rats can be terribly obstinate and controlling,
insisting on having things their way no matter what the cost. These
people tend to have an immense control of their emotions, which they
may use as a tool to manipulate and exploit another person, both
emotionally and mentally. Rats are masters of mind games and can be
very dangerous, calculating and downright cruel if the need arises.
Quick-tempered and aggressive, they will not think twice about exacting
revenge on those that hurt them in any way. Rats need to learn to relax
sometimes, as they can be quite obsessed with detail, intolerant and
strict, demanding order, obedience, and perfection. Traditionally, Rats
should avoid Horses, but they can usually find their best friends and
love interests in Monkeys, Oxen, and Dragons.

Obverse

The obverse of the coin features the Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, sovereign of the Commonwealth and Pitcairn
Islands the year ‘2008’ and the denomination of NZ$2.00.(Click
image to enlarge)
Reverse

The reverse features a engraved representation of a a cute little rat
in relief colour with a blue background “Year of the Rat” “2008”, “1
oz 999 silver” .